So much of bubbling energy and pure spirits, every kid is unique in their own way and do have an eternity towards creativity. Language of innocence and to capture kids on their own ground dreaming about a small world will remain a huge challenge for any photographer. And this is a daunting tasks for any photographer just because of two aspects.
- As a photographer there is no way you could direct the moves of a kid.
- They are going to challenge your camera’s Shutter speed and focussing capability to the extreme.
So that doesn’t mean a kid who has agreed to stand still in front of your camera, will eventually convey the desired appropriate emotions. So how would a photographer counteract all these intense situations and thereby produce a photograph which honestly provokes and translates the mood and character of the kid. Well let us discuss in this most interesting post of ours.
Photos by Elena Karagyozova
#1 Dress and Design
To make them belong to their world, dress them accordingly to give more charisma to the character and have these beautiful kids start believing about a world they have just created. Interesting costumes and dramatic designs will make them rather exciting for the shoot since the dress and objects around them become their world and they hardly care about a person with a camera annoying them. So let the kids with their dream costumes & wonderful designs play endlessly spinning an imaginative world while you start framing those magnificent moments and bring those fictitious tales to reality. Interesting isn’t?
#2 Light and Drama
Light is everything and there is no point avoiding the beauty of light when it comes to kids photography. The more drama you add with your light the more it will resemble and create the mood of the character. Try some of the good old methods of backlight or even window light to collect all the pure innocence and tranquility of these wonderful subjects. Let them play with light, try creating a relationship between the kid, light and the scene.
This will create numerous possibilities and make you rise and shine as a photographer. Plus one more interesting phenomenon, you have introduced a beautiful & lively toy to your kid, and he/she will never forget the beauty of light and will start appreciating these scintillating moments not very far.
#3 Actions and Highlights
Do not make them act in your scene, rather stay patient to see them directing their own dream and eventually the scene. It just takes some precious minutes of faith to see them in action, gelling slowly into a world belonging only to them with full of toys, costumes and dreams. Highlight these stellar moments through your camera, do not worry they will hardly bother about you or your camera, it is the zone adults call as penance, these are pure and natural moments only the childhood can offer. Do not miss them on your camera.
#4 Background & Mood
To create a sense of belonging, to add more continuity and irresistible feeling of love and affection, let us create some magic with light and a beautiful background. More often we tend to forget about the background and mood, while we get drowned before an angelic and super cute subject. But as an artistic photographer, it becomes a priority for you to stay awake in order to capture the heart and soul of the portrait. Background and composition are two important aspects in any kind of photography, try to avoid any obstacles and rejoice with the beauty of light, touching the kid with all the love, taking your scene to the next level of art.
#5 Intuition – The Final Word
They are kids, let them be kids and we the photographers should portray them as kids. Before you plan for the shoot, this is one phrase for you to keep chanting. Let us not pollute their world of innocence through some of your pre-directed moves, this will ruin your photograph as well as their godly creativity. They are fairies and angels who rise and shine before your camera, as a photographer you make most out of it and shoot what surprises or what made you admire within them. Try entering into their world, it becomes much easier now.
